Unforgettable coach; as for the rest …

Monday

Mar 4, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 4, 2013 at 10:54 AM

Editor's note: Former Record sports reporter Albert Fields, who now works for the Bay Area News Group, was Pacific's beat writer for The Record in the early 1990s when head men's basketball coach Bob Thomason led the Tigers to a thrilling win over UNLV at Spanos Center. Fields shares his memories covering that game and the Tigers.

Albert Fields

Editor's note: Former Record sports reporter Albert Fields, who now works for the Bay Area News Group, was Pacific's beat writer for The Record in the early 1990s when head men's basketball coach Bob Thomason led the Tigers to a thrilling win over UNLV at Spanos Center. Fields shares his memories covering that game and the Tigers.

This is the third in a series of articles by former and current Record sports staff who covered Pacific men's basketball during Thomason's 25 years at the helm. Thomason is retiring at the end of the season and will coach his final games at Spanos Center on Thursday and Saturday.

It's kind of hard to think back 20 years ago or so and remember things distinctly. Especially when you haven't been a sportswriter since that time. I have been working in the East Bay and haven't really paid attention to the Stockton-area sports scene that much.

When I heard that Pacific men's basketball coach Bob Thomason was retiring after 25 years, I began thinking of my short tenure as the beat reporter.

Hard to remember specific names and games. After a while, they all blur.

Hard to forget Thomason, his coaching style, his mannerisms, his growing reputation, his impact on the team and the community. Funny how a little bit of success makes fans of us all.

Do remember one game, one that pretty much epitomized Thomason's tenure.

Feb. 4, 1993. UNLV, riding a 13-1 start, had a star player named Isaiah Rider, an NBA-bound guard. The Runnin' Rebels visited Pacific with new coach Rollie Massimino, who took over for the troubled Jerry Tarkanian.

Nobody outside of the Tigers' players and coaches really expected anything much. And, again, the game was a bit of a blur. I do recall Rider's pure skills and sweet shot. How could he be stopped?

As Pacific basketball fans know, though, put in front of a big crowd and a tough opponent, and Spanos Center became, well, a bit loud.

Add to everything the fact that the Tigers hadn't beaten UNLV since 1972, and you can pretty much figure out what a noise bomb the place was.

Again, blurry, except a few details, such as Michael Jackson's (remember that name?) clutch free throws in the final minutes ,and how the booming screams rattled my ears.

At the end, I made sure to speak with Rider. He was, well, not much of a talker. Couldn't give the Tigers much credit.

Thomason, though, was on a cloud. As was his team. And the crowd. I remember writing my story courtside and seeing fans lingering as long as possible. Hard to leave that kind of energy.

Hard to pinpoint a specific moment or event that was a turning point. Maybe silly to even try. Too many other things in play. And with a space of 20 years, it would be folly on my part to suggest Thomason's exceptional career with the Tigers had a defining starting point.